Rich Eggers allegedly has been making moonshine for years. Rumor has it, he learned the closely guarded recipe from his older brother, who was trained by a now-deceased, bootlegging neighbor who had been cooking whiskey since Prohibition. The Carroll, Iowa, resident’s product became so popular that his wife got nervous and gave him an ultimatum: go legit or stop making whiskey. Lucky for us, his passion for spirits prevailed. Now customers can find Iowa Legendary Rye in liquor stores across Iowa. The company’s first product has even made its way to retailers in Omaha, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

In 18 to 24 months, the first batch of aged whiskey will hit store shelves. In the meantime, Iowa Legendary Rye is selling a remarkably versatile, unaged white whiskey. The smooth flavor is ideal for all manner of cocktail concoctions. I recently tried a number of fabulous infusions created by Eggers and his wife, Lisa Chase. Flavors ranged from savory bloody Mary to sweeter options like Pink Lemonade, Peach, Cinnamon Bun and the classic throwback Rock-and-Rye. The couple happily shares their recipes on their Facebook page for fans that want to experiment.

The tasting got my imagination flowing. I wondered what area bartenders could dream up? To answer my cocktail quandary, I turned to some of the best mixologists around: CJ Ryherd at Django, Blake Brown at Table 128 and Sean Wilson at Proof. They did not disappoint. The experts raved about the unaged whiskey because it offers the versatility of a neutral spirit such as vodka, as well as a subtle nuance and spice characteristic of rye.

After enjoying Eggers' white whiskey, I can barely wait to try the aged rye when it hits shelves in the fall of 2016. Luckily, I have these delicious recipes to enjoy as I wait.

Sean Wilson at Proof with his In a Jam Cocktail.(Photo11: Special to the Register)

In A Jam

by Sean Wilson of Proof

Serves: 1

Ingredients:

1 ounce Iowa Legendary Rye White Whiskey

½ ounce St. Germaine

¼ ounce Yellow Chartreuse

2 squeezes fresh lemon juice

1 bar spoon hot pepper raspberry preserves

2 drops barbecue bitters (available online)

Directions:

Fill shaker half full of ice, add all ingredients and shake until well-chilled.